AY RTW Sale

[DC3]

good evening.

Have started a dialogue with travel agent re RTW and it is proving to be difficult with availability for september (in and out of USA, and into japan). After much too-ing and fro-ing i thought we had it in the bag, but then when it was on paper, i had overnight stay in HEL for EU connection, and an A330 into KIX …………...

I would be inclined to seek out another TA that you are more comfortable with, and who will answer any concerns.

You may get some good advice on AFF, however.

Edit: Not FC?

 

[hossein_au]

I am not a TA, so please take these with a grain of salt:

1) I should be searching for I class fares? Y/N?

I think I class is the one you want

2) I have to be AY in & out of HEL? no code shares allowed? Ie no JAL into NRT?

You'll need to check fare rules (ExpertFlyer is your friend, I think)

3) what are my other AY options for Asia after SIN & BKK?

AY flies to all major Asian ports: HKG, etc.

3) Can i get a higher fare for a single sector only? Or does that just blow me out of the sale fare rules, and all sectors can be booked in the higher fare class

I am not sure how much it affects the total price, but I reckon it would be substantial, i.e. out of proportion.

 

[PineappleSkip]

I have a sale fare from a while back, and sought to amend it.

Just becausd expertflyer showed I on a flight didn't mean AY could find me a seat. Possibly other fares book into I also.

I was also unable to tack on sectors at a higher price to a sale fare. Had to be a separate PNR which wasn't a goer with a 50 minute connect time in HEL.

cheers skip

 

[Mattg]

Just becausd expertflyer showed I on a flight didn't mean AY could find me a seat. Possibly other fares book into I also.

It could have been a Point Of Sale issue. Finnair does also use married segments, so sometimes availability is only there if booking in conjunction with another flight or as a standalone sector.

 

[madrooster]

good evening.

Have started a dialogue with travel agent re RTW and it is proving to be difficult with availability for september (in and out of USA, and into japan). After much too-ing and fro-ing i thought we had it in the bag, but then when it was on paper, i had overnight stay in HEL for EU connection, and an A330 into KIX.

There's quite reasonable amounts of availability both into the US and Japan from AU in the first two weeks of September. There's also reasonable amounts out of Japan onwards to Europe around that same period. Similar for the US onwards to Europe.

The A350 KIX services don't really connect that well, so unless you really want to do long transits to get the A350, it's easier to take the A330 service. Alternatively, you can fly into another Japanese port, eg. NRT.

So some questions to enable me to search in experflyer what options avail.

1) I should be searching for I class fares? Y/N?
2) I have to be AY in & out of HEL? no code shares allowed? Ie no JAL into NRT?
3) what are my other AY options for Asia after SIN & BKK?
3) Can i get a higher fare for a single sector only? Or does that just blow me out of the sale fare rules, and all sectors can be booked in the higher fare class

1. Yes I class - but beware of married segment control both intra-AY married segment control as well as inter-carrier married segment control. EF will not tell you this, so you will possibly find availability that can't be used.

2. All Asia or US to Europe and intra Europe carriage must be on AY primes only.

3. SIN, BKK, HKG, NGO, KIX, NRT are your AY gateway options for Asia. ORD, JFK, MIA, SFO, LAX are your US gateway options, although all except JFK are seasonal. MIA doesn't run during September for example.

4. No. I class must exist for everything.

If you want to private message me your intended routing and dates I can have a look at what's available.

I was also unable to tack on sectors at a higher price to a sale fare. Had to be a separate PNR which wasn't a goer with a 50 minute connect time in HEL.

cheers skip

Schengen to schengen connection? Perfectly fine and acceptable for AY at HEL.

I'd happily ticket it on two tickets in the same PNR by divorcing the married segments, even if it's mixed cabin, eg. J into HEL and Y out of HEL.

 

[Tropic]

hi all. currently have quote for PER-SYD-HGK-HEL-LIS- ATH-HEL-LAX-BNE-PER with 2 day stopover in LAX for 5850. Is this OK or any changes needed to better price/max SC (already got SC magic on QF sectors)?

or
PER-MEL-LAX (STOPOVER)- HEL-LIS ATH-HEL-HGK-SYD-PER

for ~ 6000

cheers tropic

 

[PineappleSkip]

Looks pretty good value to me. I’d turn the quote into a confirmed booking in time to qualify for the DSCs, if that’s part of your plan. Cheers skip

 

[docjames]

The A350 KIX services don't really connect that well, so unless you really want to do long transits to get the A350, it's easier to take the A330 service. Alternatively, you can fly into another Japanese port, eg. NRT.

Worth noting that difference in product - the 350 “footwell” is substantially larger than the 330’s (so much so i found it really hard to get comfortable for sleeping on the 330 due to footwell size, but easy on the 350).

(Note i’m 6’4” and size 12 feet....)

 

[gethsemene]

So I know not really the place for testimonials, but massive shoutout to MadRooster who has helped me book a crazy good value and slightly complicated itinerary RTW in J with AY. Genuinely knowledgeable and helpful!

HBA-MEL-HKG-HEL-LHR-HEL-NYC break DFW-SYD-HBA with QF on the Aussie connected routes, all for around the $6k mark!

 

[Princess Fiona]

Another massive shout out to @madrooster for helping me out with jumping on this AY fare.
I’m a bit slow to catch onto these things (consequences of living with Shrek) but better late than never and @madrooster was very patient with this newbie player

 

[HockeyMonkey]

In October Mrs HockeyMonkey needs to be in ATL and I need to be in ORD at the same time for work. We would also like to spend a week together in JFK either before or after our work commitments.

Could we make the AY RTW J fares work in our favour? Origin in MEL.

 

[tdimdad]

In October Mrs HockeyMonkey needs to be in ATL and I need to be in ORD at the same time for work. We would also like to spend a week together in JFK either before or after our work commitments.
Could we make the AY RTW J fares work in our favour? Origin in MEL.

That should go through fine. You need to fly via Helsinki and both the incoming and outgoing long-hauls to/from HEL need to be AY operated. For something like that I'd check first a QF to an Asian port, AY via HEL to JFK, then after your separate weeks meet again in LAX or SFO and return home.

 

[Princess Fiona]

That should go through fine. You need to fly via Helsinki and both the incoming and outgoing long-hauls to/from HEL need to be AY operated. For something like that I'd check first a QF to an Asian port, AY via HEL to JFK, then after your separate weeks meet again in LAX or SFO and return home.

Or just use QF to the USA LAX/DFW and JFK-HEL-BKK/HKG on AY as the long hauls.

 

[Fil-Ski]

Any idea when the next AY RTW sale may be on? Looking for a early November booking so can still wait.

 

[madrooster]

Any idea when the next AY RTW sale may be on? Looking for a early November booking so can still wait.

There hasn't been one since the Feb one.

 

[David F]

Just found this thread and will certainly keep it in mind when closer to booking - looking at Nov 2020 and hope for another sale Feb-March 2020 Madrooster seems a wealth of useful info. When looking at rough itinerary would rather skip Asia and look at SYD-SFO - break USA - HEL-EU-HEL-SFO-SYD. I assume u can tag Brisbane on either end ?

 

[PineappleSkip]

AUS-USA-Europe and return the same way doesn't look like a RTW itinerary to me.
Cheers skip

 

[madrooster]

When looking at rough itinerary would rather skip Asia and look at SYD-SFO - break USA - HEL-EU-HEL-SFO-SYD. I assume u can tag Brisbane on either end ?

Yes that routing is valid (subject to AY not changing the routing rules when a sale is on). You can indeed tag BNE on the end, on the start or both. You can even mix start and finish, eg. start from BNE but end in PER.

 

[David F]

Ok thanks Mad R - will contact you later in year and start process depending on any sales. It does seem they do change the "routing rules" often in sales period so need to remain flexible ?

Love the podcasts too, very helpful


And I agree PSkip which is why I asked. For OW RTW no backtracking allowed I believe? Maybe you just have to cross both Oceans - Pacific/Atlantic with Finnair

 

[Princess Fiona]

AUS-USA-Europe and return the same way doesn't look like a RTW itinerary to me.
Cheers skip

It doesn’t need to be. I’m going to CDG exactly the same way in a couple of months on this fare.